Evelyn
I sat on my chair. Damian was not here, as I expected, I never knew where he disappeared to. I was having my breakfast.
Whenever I came here, my favorite food was always set out, decorated beautifully on the table, and the person who made it was always gone before I arrived, who could be that. But that person deserved appreciation and a proper thank you. I would've asked Damian, but where the hell was he?
Soon I felt something pass me with the lighting speed like a wind, then heard a thud — like someone had dropped into a seat. My eyes went to the direction of the sound, and there the devil was, sitting himself in the head chair like he owned the world.
Goddess, his speed. I needed to practice more.
There was a drop of blood at the corner of his mouth. He cleaned it with his tongue. My eyes widened.
"Is that blood"?
He nodded. "I just came from preying on my hunt," he said, like it was the most normal thing I'd ever heard.
"What.. you killed someone and drank their blood?" I felt horrified.
"Yes, little wolf. My men told me there were trespassers outside my castle, roaming around as if they were planning something. So I went to see what they wanted."
He paused, then continued when he saw the worried expression on my face. "They could have been a threat to my people, little wolf, and as a king, my job is to protect them. I gave them the option to speak, but I guess their time had run out."
I didn't know what to say. He had killed someone, but he was also right. Any leader does violent things or important steps when needed.
I nodded. "Are you not eating anything?"
A smirk tugged at his lips. "I just had fresh blood. What more could I ask for?" he said smugly.
"Oh."
A few seconds of silence passed. I was eating; he was just staring at me.
"Umm... who makes all this food? Do you have a professional cook? I should thank that person, this food is amazing," I finally asked and took a big bite of a delicious pancake.
"Oh, that? Well, Molly makes your food," he said casually.
I choked. My mouth fell open. I stared at him in disbelief.
I kept staring, waiting for him to tell me he was joking. He wasn't.
I felt deeply uncomfortable. I really hoped she hadn't mixed slow-acting poison into my food.. the kind that gives a slow death.
"Why her?" I finally said, after processing the disaster of that news.
He shrugged. "She is the best cook in this castle, so I gave her responsibility to make your food."
"Is this food safe?" I asked, no longer feeling great about any of it.
"Of course, little wolf. She eats first before this food is served to you. Besides that, she wouldn't do anything to you, she loves her life."
He stopped, his eyes softening as he continued. "No one in this castle would hurt you. They know you are very important to me."
My eyes dropped on my food. I couldn't bear the intensity of his gaze, and the softness of his words, the way he said those words. Important to him. Why? Why was he so sweet?
He was making this so hard for me. I already liked him, even without the mate bond. My feelings for him kept getting stronger.
I was lost in my thoughts when Damian tapped the table. My gaze snapped to him.
"What are you thinking?" he said. "The food is safe, I assure you."
I nodded.
Eva laughed as she imagined Molly's grumpy face when she was making our food.
"Little wolf, the day after tomorrow we are going somewhere."
I raised my brows. "Where"?
"My friend Ronan is hosting a birthday party, he wanted me to come, so you'll come with me as my plus one."
I was coming with him. Wow. He didn't ask, he ordered. I let that slide and focused on the more interesting part. "Vampires celebrate birthdays too?"
"You keep forgetting, little wolf."
I waved my hand. "Right, right — modern vampires. I get it now." He chuckled.
"You don't look like someone who goes to birthday parties," I said. "And you definitely don't look like someone who has friends."
"I don't have many friends, but Ronan is a close one. He's not an ordinary vampire.. he's a royal and a powerful one. But he doesn't believe in kings or kingdoms. He lives his life like a human. The man is filthy rich. He has businesses in the human world."
Business in the human world. Wow, that was new. "I guess he's the modern vampire then.. not someone who thinks himself a king and wears a long coat all day," I teased.
But he just threw his head back and laughed. Damn. Why does my teasing never affect him?
"Well, I have no problem removing my coat.. but you'd have a problem with that, little wolf. You don't want to see me half-naked," he teased right back.
"You could wear something else! You'd look damn handsome in a shirt," I told him.. before I could stop myself. Shit
"Damn handsome, hmm?" he said meaningfully, running a hand through his hair and tilting his head to the side, biting his lip.
I blushed. Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?
'You didn't say anything wrong, Eva purred. He would kill us if he wore something else'.
***************
"Ready, little wolf? Today we learn new things, how vampires fight, and their most common moves."
I was ready. I took my position as he showed me the most common attack forms of his species. It was truly amazing. I marveled at how different we were from each other, and I had to say, vampires were blessed with extraordinary power.
Training went well. Spending time with Damian has become my favorite thing. After dinner, I came to my room and Damian went to his office.
I took a long warm shower and got ready for bed.
So, Damian was taking me to a birthday party, not even his friend's birthday. Something felt off. Why did I have the feeling this was more than just a party? Damian wasn't the type to go anywhere without an agenda.
I was still turning those thoughts over in my head when I heard a knock on my door.
I opened it without even thinking, as if I already knew who was on the other side.
And of course, I was right. The devil himself.
I folded my arms. "So, my king, why are you here? Came to say goodnight, or came to steal a kiss?"
"Can I come inside, little wolf?"
I nodded.
He stepped in and looked at me, silent. I waited for him to speak. When he finally did, those words made my breath catch.
"Let's sleep together. Like yesterday."